Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-08-12
Justice Not Law.

Staid old England, that has often
/ raised its hands in horror at the meth
ods pursued in America, has itself
sometimes broken the cold forms of
law and given true justice a chance.
Some thirty years ago the case of
George Hammond came to trial at the
Old Bailey in London, before Lord
Chief Justice Tindal. The prisoner,
who was a portrait painter, was
brought to the bar to answer to the
charge of wilful murder which had
been found against him by the grand
jury With malice aforethought he
had slain rope-dancer and mounte-
bank. The prisoner was man of
m ddle height and slender form; his
eyes were blue and mild. His whole
being gave evidence of subdued sad
ness and melancholy resignation.
He was Al years of age. His soft
voice. his manner, and appearance
were testimony of his being a man of
feeling and refinement in spite of the
poverty of his dress
On being called to plead. the pris-
oner admitted that he killed Baldwin
and be deplored the act; but, he added,
ho wever, on his soul and conscience
that he did not believe himself to be
guilty, Thereupon jury Yves i'm
paneled to try the prisoner. The
indictment was read to the jury, and,
as the act of killingwas admitted, the
Government rested their case and the
prisoner was called upon for his de-
fense.
The prisoner then addressed him
self to the Court and jury. "My lord,
my justification is to be found in q
recital of the facts. Three years ago
lost a daug ghter, then years ofage,
the sole memorial of beloved wife,
whom it pleased God to recall to
himself. lost my child; but l did
not see her die. She was an angel,
and beside her l had nobody in the
world to love. Gentlemen, what 1
have suffered can not be described;
you can not comprehend it. | ex-
pended in advertising and fruitless
search evening possessed, furniture
pictures and even my clothes. All
have been sold. For three years, on
foot. l have sought my child in all
the cities and all the villages of the
three kingdoms AS soon as by
painting portraits l have succeeded
in gaining little money, l returned
to re-commence my advertising in the
newspapers. At length on Friday,
the l4th of April last, l crossed the
Smith6eld cattle market. In the
center of the market a troupe of
mountebanks were performing their
feats. Among them child was turn
ing on its head, its legs in the air
and its head supported by halbert.
A ray from the soul of its mother
must have penetrated my own for me
to haYe recognized my child in that
condition. Itwss, indeed, my poor
child. Her mother would have clasp
ed her to her heart had she been
there. AS for ME veil passed over
my eyes. l threw myself upon the
chief of the rope. dancers. / knew
not how it was; |, habitually gentle
even to weakness, seized him by the
clothes; raised him in the air and
dashed him to the ground. Then
again. He was dead. Afterwards l
repented what l had done At that
moment l regretted that l was only
able to kill but one."
"These are not Christian senti-
ments," replied the Chief Justice;
"how can you expect the court and
jury to look with favor upon your de-
fense, or God to pardon you, if you
can not forgiven"
II know, my lord" continued the
prisoner, "what will be your judg-
ment and that of the jury, but God
has already pardoned me, | feel it in
my heart. You know not. ] knew
not then the full extent of the evil
that man had done. When some
compassionate people brought me my
daughter in my prison she was no
longer my child; shewas corrupted.
body and soul; her manner, her lam
guage, infamous.like those of the peo.
pie with whom she had been living.
She did not recognize me, and | no
longer recognized her myself. Do
you comprehend me now? That man
had robbed me of the love and soul OF
my child, and / have killed him but
once"
The foreman now spoke: "My lord,
we have agreed on our verdict"
Il understand you, gentlemen"
answered the chief justice, "but the
law must take it's course; | must sum
up the case, and then you will retire
to deliberat to. The chief justice sum-
med up the case and the jury retired.
In moment they returned into court
with the verdict of "Not guilty"
On the discharge of Hammond the
sheriff was obliged to surround him
with an escort. The crowd of women
and men was immense. The women
werd determined to carry him off in
triumph. The crowd followed all the
way to his lodgings with deafening
shouts and huzzas.